Top-Rated K-12th Grade Curriculum | Junior Achievement USA

JA Job Shadow®

JA Job Shadow offers students a unique opportunity: a visit to a professional work environment and insights into how to find and keep a fulfilling career.

Students participating in the program will acquire and apply the skills needed in demanding and ever-changing workplaces. Students will be able to recognize career clusters and potential job positions; understand the importance of researching the requirements needed to earn a position; and develop job-hunting tools, such as networking, resumes, and interviewing skills.

JA Job Shadow is recommended for high school students. The program is composed of three 45-minute classroom sessions and the job shadow visit, which usually is four to five hours in length.

Materials are downloadable and include detailed session plans for the site-coordinator, students, and teacher. The program also provides instructions to allow students to begin using Kuder Navigator, an online educational and career planning system designed primarily for today's middle school and high school students.

JA programs correlate to state social studies, English, and mathematics standards, and to Common Core State Standards.

Program Sessions

Before the Job Hunt

Students are introduced to the JA Job Shadow program and the Seven Steps to Get Hired and Succeed. Through a close examination of specific skills and career clusters, they learn the key factors to investigate in career planning: skills, interest, work priorities, and job outlook.

Perfect Match

Students review the Seven Steps to Get Hired and Succeed and analyze job-hunting skills. They then participate in mock interviews to prepare for the Job Shadow Challenge at the site visit.

Next Steps

Students reflect on what they learned before and during the site visit, and they practice business communication by composing a thank-you note. They then create one of four career-preparation tools: a career assessment, an elevator pitch, a resume, or an infographic profile.

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